There was only really one time that I had a substantive…
![“There was only really one time that I had a substantive interaction with the president [Barak Obama] directly, and that was in 2013 when we were deciding whether to file a brief in the first gay marriage case, the Perry against Hollingsworth case. That was a weighty decision about whether the…” quote by Donald Verrilli Jr](https://sms4smile.com/q/img-quotes/308/donald-verrilli-jr-17929_bans_there-was-only-really-one-time-that-i-ha_867816.jpg)
“There was only really one time that I had a substantive interaction with the president [Barak Obama] directly, and that was in 2013 when we were deciding whether to file a brief in the first gay marriage case, the Perry against Hollingsworth case. That was a weighty decision about whether the United States government was going to come in and say that heightened scrutiny ought to apply and some state bans on same-sex marriage ought to be unconstitutional. And that was the one time in my tenure where I thought I ought not make this decision without talking to the president.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
He consulted the president on a pivotal civil‑rights case, highlighting the weight of executive input in legal strategy.
In simple terms: He sought the president’s view on a major marriage equality case.
Key Takeaway
Seek counsel on high‑stakes decisions.
Themes
law
civil rights
executive counsel
Mood
thoughtful
strategic
Type
political
legal
historical
When to use this quote
- court filings
- government advisory
- public policy
- human rights
Key Concepts
constitutional law
judicial review
policy making
Questions to Reflect On
- What alternative viewpoints could inform such decisions?
- How does executive guidance shape legal outcomes?
A Different Perspective
Relying on a single opinion can overlook broader perspectives.